The best poutine I've ever had...

The best poutine I've ever had...

I made myself tonight. We live near the Canadian border and travel across abour 20 times a year or more. I've eaten poutine a few times but was always disappointed. By chance we had some leftover River Rat cheese curd, gravy from a couple different braised chicken recipes, and some frozen Ore Ida fries. Now I already can hear the purists groaning that the gravy must be beef and the fries should be fresh. You are right but what I made still tasted better than what I have had in a restaurant. I have eaten what was supposed to be good. Just hear me out or better yet, try my way and let me know what you think. First I made sure the fries were as crisp as I could get them without burning so they would not get too soggy. 20 minutes in a 500 F degree oven. They came out crispy or chewy, either worked out well. If they are not so cooked, they turn to mush when gravied (I think I just invented a verb) which was one of my complaints. I grated the curd so that it would melt when hit by the gravy which was boiling when I dressed the pile. I hated poutine which had large, unmelted curds. I wanted gravy that was the result of some other cooking process, not made just for the poutine. My gravy, although the result of braising chicken thighs, was dark and flavoful from bits of bacon and braised vegetables and chicken juices. Lastly I heated an oven proof pie plate in the oven along with the fries so that it would be really hot when I put the fries in it. The poutine never cooled off during the whole meal. The result was as good as I could make it at home and I used up leftovers------priceless. My food motto: If it tastes good, it is good. dave

Hi Foodbme, In our neck of the Canadian woods, the first poutine on the menu has a medium dark brown gravy, probably beef. Most places now also offer Italian poutine with tomato sauce but 30 years ago when I moved up here, I never saw any other gravy than the dark one. I have seen another gravy, very light colored, never tasted it and don't remember what it is. Give it a try sometime with my recommendations above. It's pretty good, very fillling. We paired it with a green salad to balance the meal somewhat. dave

Hi CCinNJ, Wow, that's expensive. We live in dairy country so cheese curd costs about what good cheddar costs. River Rat just happens to be the best around here but others are available. I have seen recipes where cheddar cheese was used instead of curd. Might even be better tasting. dave

Poutine gravy is not beef nor is it tomato based. It is a dark chicken gravy. Accept no other substitutes.

Yes fries should be fresh cut but you go with what you got sometimes. Also, they say that the curds should squeak. For me personally, I like it when they've melted and get stringy. No squeak at that point. The downside is, by that point, the fries are getting soggy. I'm willing to trade off.

A couple of years back we took a vacation to Montreal, Quebec and places in between. I used this opportunity to taste many varieties of poutine. The restaurant in Drummondville that claims to have invented poutine http://www.jucep.com/accueil served it with a sauce that was more orange than brown, and had a slightly sweet taste to it. It was good, but different than what I had elsewhere in the province.

DavwudPoutine gravy is not beef nor is it tomato based. It is a dark chicken gravy. Accept no other substitutes.

While a lot of what is served appears to be either beef or chicken gravy, the home made version my wife's relatives served, and which they explained to me was the "authentic" type sauce, was a tomato based gravy. Nothing like an italian tomato sauce, but definitely not beef or chicken.

I realize that there are always many who claim to do it the original or right way, and I have no way of knowing whether what I was told is the truth, but that is how I heard it.

The problem with shipped cheese curd is that once it is refrigerated, which it should be after 24 hours, the consistency changes so that you might as well use a mild cheddar. Fresh cheese curd is usually sold at room temperature and has a unique taste and consistency which changes dramatically once it is chilled and gets a few days old. Just saying that you may spend a lot to get something that won't be all you hoped for.

There's always the River Rat "make-it-your-own" gift package. A bargain...includes shipping. I can use the horseradish cheese and bonus a few extra River Rat selections.

David Guccione...what other two items would you choose?

CCin NJ, The RR factory is an hour away in Clayton in the Thousand Islands and I have had a lot of their cheeses over the years. We made a trip there to stock up before Thanksgiving. All the red waxed are great and the horseradish cheese is too. I haven't had any of the rest that's on the options. One of their best cheeses is called Mean and Nasty. The cheese lovers in our family really go for it. They also have a mild Limburger. We just finished some for Thanksgiving. Everything they sell is first class that I have ever had. dave

CC- Have you ever tried Beechers in NYC? I have not, but did visit the one in Seattle a few years ago. Not sure if they are making their own cheeses on site in NY but if so, they may have some curd. Of course with today's increases in tolls, mail order may be cheaper.

Tony...I think I saw Breecher's at the Union Square Greenmarket. Never been to the store. Murray's has cheese curds but they are from Wisconsin...and I don't think they still will have squeak.

I've been ummm instructed to make New Jersey Poutine for NYD...since <<<Hoboken>>> is the fresh mozzarella capital of the WORLD. It may not squeak....but Mr. Biancamano will have it fresh like the new year...for me. Maybe someday he will agree to try making cheese curds. Then...watch out for <<<Hoboken>>> to be the newest Poutine destination on the map!

As an ex-Montrealer my favourite place for poutine (and steamed hot dogs) is Valentine's restauant. It is a franchise but very good. IMHO, what makes or breaks a poutine is the gravy. I personally like the lighter coloured gravy as opposed to the beef gravy

I make a mean sausage and gravy and I often dip the twice fried fries in the peppery gravy. Very very good. I have had poutine several times in and around Montreal but the best was at a small road side stand between Canada and Vermont south of Montreal.